Flashlight Guards
by Ramona Bandicoot
Summary: Flashlight guards are something a thief never wants to see on a heist. -oneshot-


**Disclaimer:** I don't own any Sly Cooper characters; they belong to Sucker Punch Productions.

**Claimer:** I own all of my original characters.

_I want to thank "ola" for the story idea, thanks! I hope you like how it turned out/it's what you had in mind. And I still up for story ideas so if you have any, let me know! Anyway, please read and review and let me know what you think. Thanks!_

Flashlight Guards

There's nothing like the feel of wind going through your fur on a nighttime heist. With your adrenaline pumping and your legs moving you as fast as you can across the rooftops of a silent city. Pulling off a successful heist is probably the best part of being a thief. Well it is when you're not chasing down a rival to get your prize back. But then again, I didn't really mind when giving these circumstances. I chased Ramona across the rooftops of a silent Paris in an attempt to get back the painting she had swiped behind my back. We were supposed to work together to get it down from its moorings and we did, but she snatched it before I could get my paws on it. It was small enough for her so strap on her back and take off from the museum before it clicked in my mind what she had done. I was catching up to her quickly as we jumped from rooftop to rooftop. She looked back quickly and smirked before leaping down to the ground below, but I knew how to outsmart her. I stuck to the rooftops, bounding ahead of her on the ground and using my cane to slide down a drainpipe. I jumped down in front of her, cutting her off and she slid to a stop. A sly smile came across both of our faces as we attempted to regain our breath from running.

"I have to admit, Ramona, you give me a run for my money." She laughed and thanked me before taking off in another direction. I ran after her, hearing her bark a laugh after glancing back. She turned to the right and entered an alley and I was on her heels. I had almost caught up to her when my smile faded and I heard the firing of a gun. I caught Ramona as she toppled backwards from the gun fire. I had her by underneath her arms and she almost touched the ground. I silent hoped she wasn't hit when I noticed her breath coming out in heaves. Thankfully she was fine and we both looked up, realizing what had caused the gunfire. As Ramona was about to turn another corner to go back on the streets, one of the local guards had noticed her and fired his gun in an attempt to stop her. The angered warthog came around the corner, his gun drawn and his nostrils flaring. He pointed his flashlight towards us, temporarily blinding us, before rearing up his tusks in preparation to strike. I spun Ramona around and used my back to shield her from his blow. I pushed her down the alley and started to follow her when I felt the guards tusk rip through my shirt and the skin on my back. My back burned like fire but I kept going. I pushed Ramona down the street as we tried to get away from the enraged warthog. I felt something grab me by the back of my shirt, shoving me down the street. The warthog that had attacked us picked Ramona up by the scruff of her neck, lifting her off the ground.

"Uh-uh," the warthog's voice was low and groggy, "Thieves that steal get punished." He reared his head towards Ramona, ready to hit her with his tusks. I picked up my cane and charged towards the large warthog. I slammed my cane against his ribs, hoping he'd drop Ramona. Unfortunately, he simply swung his other arm towards my head. I ducked and noticed Ramona trying to claw her way out of his grasp. The man turned to Ramona and huffed in her face; her fur and hair going back with his breath. I hit him again and he finally dropped Ramona. She hit the ground with a _thump _before scrambling to her feet. I reached forward and grabbed her by the wrist, pulling the frightened raccoon away from the enraged warthog. We had only gotten a few steps away when he grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and held me up, kicking Ramona away with his foot. He raised his free hood and slammed his flashlight down over the back of my head before dropping me to the ground. I clutched my head in pain briefly before reaching for my cane. He kicked it away from my reach and hit me again. I was dazed and lightheaded. He picked me up again and threw me down the alley he had come from. I rolled on the concrete, feeling my arm slip behind me and snap at the elbow.

It was hard to breathe, a sign I had either broken or cracked ribs and my arm felt like it was on fire. I finally stopped rolling and stopped with my broken arm twisted behind me. I used my free paw to pull my hat off my head and feel where the warthog had hit me. I winced and brought my paw to my face. My gloved fingers were covered in a thick, red substance; my blood. I had no idea where my cane had landed or where Ramona was, but I knew that warthog was still out there and probably still trying to beat the snot out of Ramona. I tried to stand and see where they were, but when pain shot through just about every part of my body, I knew I wasn't going anywhere. I heard Ramona shout from a little ways away and the warthog passed by the end of the alley way in a hurry. Ramona snarled as he trotted away. I noticed she had my cane clutched in her paws and she quickly trotted to where I was in the alley. My family cane clanked as it hit the ground and Ramona stooped beside me. She grimaced at the sight of my arm and gently placed her paws on my shoulders, trying to find the right way to pick me up. She brushed against my sore ribs and I snapped at her as a reflex. She eventually pulled me up into a sitting position. My vision was blurred and my head fell against her before I could do anything else. I heaved in a breath before blacking out in the alley.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The smell of hospital room bleach caused me open my eyes. A dull ache shot through my body and I inhaled sharply. It took me a minute to remember the incident with the warthog in the alley but I eventually figured out what I was doing in a hospital room. I tried to sit only to have a sharp pain go through my arm and ribs. That wasn't going to work so I was stuck just sitting there. My broken arm was completely wrapped and throbbing erratically. By the small about of sunlight pouring in through the half open blinds signaled to me that it was early morning, somewhere around seven, maybe eight, and everything was quiet, with the exception of the beeping from my heart monitor and the occasional nursing walking up and down the halls. Then I realized I was alone. I had no idea where Ramona was or any doctors for that matter. There was a chair close to my bed with a jacket and Ramona's satchel with my cane sticking out of it, but no Ramona. There was no telling where she was or what she was doing. I yawned and ran my fingers though my hair, or what was visible of my hair. The gash in my head was covered by a bandage that covered practically most of my head. I needed someone to talk to while I was here. What I hated most about going to the hospital was waking up completely alone.

"I thought I told you not to wake up until I got back?" Ramona's voice came from the doorway. I glanced in her direction and smiled. She grinned in return and trotted over to the chair with her coffee in her paws. She sat Indian style in her chair and sipped her drink.

"Well, I wouldn't want to miss a second of seeing your pretty face…so I just decided to be a little early." She snorted in laughter and leaned in her chair.

"You have your arm snapped like a twig and yet you still keep your personality; very impressive."

"I try, Ms. Bandicoot, I try." She rolled her eyes and sipped at her coffee again. She sat her paper cup on the table next to my bed and shifted her bangs from her eyes. I noticed a few scratches on her from the fight with the warthog.

"Let me ask you something," she glanced to my bandaged arm, "Does that…hurt?" she pointed to my arm and I simply shrugged.

"Not at the moment," I tried sitting up slowly, "but right now I've got enough pain medication in my system for a lifetime. What'd they do to it? Just snap it back in place?"

"No, _you_ did all the snapping," she picked up her cup again, "they had to operate on it. Bend it back to its right spot, you had it bent completely backwards, and fix the tendons and the…funny bone…thing." I narrowed my eyebrows at her comment.

"You have no idea what you're talking about, do you?" she shook her head and sat on the edge of my bed.

"No not really," she pressed the back of her fingers to my forehead, "I'm no doctor and I've been awake all night so I'm running low on energy. I'm on my fifth cup of coffee and I'm ready to crash."

"Then take a nap," I said with a chuckle, "I'm certainly not going anywhere." She shook her head and sipped at her coffee.

"No, I'm not napping while you're bandaged and bruised. It's your duty to get some sleep, not mine." She pressed my nose gently and smiled. Again, she placed her coffee on my table and yawned deeply. She was getting tired and it wouldn't take long for her to just completely crash. I used my good arm to pull her towards me. She complied, stretching our next to me and resting her head on my chest. My arm was still underneath her shoulders, using my fingertips to brush against her upper arms.

"You know," I said quietly, "we need to do this more often." She looked up and raised an eyebrow.

"Do what? Get attacked in the middle of a heist and get sent to the hospital with a broken arm, a concussion, and a few cracked ribs?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of alone time. You know, a chance where we can just sit and talk without worrying about beings shot, or stabbed, or arrested, or stalked, or beaten, or _all_ the other crap that happens to us day in and day out."

"I'd like that. I'd really like that." I kissed her forehead softly and we sat in silence. I needed something to talk about with her before she fell asleep.

"Alright, let me ask you something," she perked her ears, "what happened to that painting you swiped last night?" she looked up slowly and shrugged.

"Oh, it just…you know…broke and…got destroyed." She looked away and sheepishly scratched the back of her neck.

"It broke?" she nodded, "Are you completely sure about that?" she nodded again, "You sold it for a good chunk of change didn't you." She nodded a third time and I snorted. Silence resumed between us and I was just glad to have a peaceful moment between us. Sure, they didn't happen often, but I was always happy when they did.


End file.
